1 Delay in proposal for West Kowloon September release for cultural plans
Denise Hung, SCMP 23 July 2007

A revised proposal for the West Kowloon cultural district is likely to be announced in September, about two months behind schedule, after the government allowed extra time for "freshmen" ministers to get to grips with the details.

The administration also did not want to distract the public from the consultation on political reform by introducing plans for the controversial and much-altered scheme at the same time, government sources said.

The ministers responsible, Chief Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen and Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing, took up their positions on July 1.

"It will be another big project for the new government, and Mr Tang and Mr Tsang are freshmen on this issue," a government source said.

The government had intended to announce the new plans late this month.

It also wants to avoid criticism for releasing a report on the HK$30 billion scheme while the Legislative Council is on summer recess.

A government spokesman said the final reports on the proposal had been received from the project's consultative committee and were being considered.

No date had been set for the release, the spokesman said, pledging that there would be "public engagement" on it.

The consultative committee was set up in April last year with three advisory groups to re-examine and reconfirm the need for the project and its financial implications.

It was chaired by former chief secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan. The members' appointments expired last month.

The government launched the project in 2004 and shortlisted three consortiums for a tender, but shelved it after strong opposition to the one-developer concept.

A member of the consultative committee, who did not want to be named, said consultants had suggested the government apply for about HK$30 billion in one-off funding for a provisional West Kowloon cultural development authority, to be set up to oversee the project's planning and construction.

They said this amount should be sought no matter how much the government could raise from auctioning parts of the site set aside for property development.

The funding is subject to Legislative Council approval.

The committee member said the government could auction the plots at different stages according to market fluctuations, but was expected to raise less than HK$30 billion.

"It could clearly show that it is totally a cultural project, not a property" development, the committee member noted.

Another source familiar with the situation said that as the budget was fixed, the size of the cultural facilities would be reduced slightly from the original plan.

But the source reiterated that this would not affect the public. The authority would be run on a self-financing model.

It is understood the committee assumes that construction of the arts and cultural facilities will be undertaken in two phases.

The plot ratio of the site will be 1.81 and half the land will be set aside for commercial development, with 20 per cent earmarked for residential development.

Cultural venues will also be built, including the "M+" museum, which replaced an initial idea to build four museums with distinct themes, and about 10 theatres for exhibitions and performances.